IND vs ENG 1st Test: Leeds pitch report, highest score, Headingley stats

A new captain. A bold coach. A team in flux. When India takes on England in the five-Test Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy starting Friday at Headingley, Leeds, the series promises more than just cricket—it promises a turning point. Shubman Gill, just 25, steps into the leadership void left by Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma with a side that's a blend of fresh legs and battle-scarred veterans. For Gill, it's not just a debut series as captain—it's a baptism by fire against a side that has redefined Test batting under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum.
When the first ball is bowled at 3:30 PM IST today, all eyes will be on captain Gill, but for the Indian skipper, it will be a chance to start a new era in the longest format of cricket for India.
So, Business Standard looks at the key stats at Headingley Stadium and how the Leeds wicket is expected to behave over the course of five days.
As the first Test between India and England is set to get underway at Headingley, all eyes turn to a pitch known for its double life. What begins as a green seamer transforms—often dramatically—into a batting haven as the match wears on. But with the weather in Leeds throwing in an unpredictable twist, the conditions are set to play a decisive role.
What to expect from the Headingley surface
Early gremlins: The pitch typically favours seamers up front. Among all English venues that have hosted five or more Tests since 2010, Headingley has the lowest collective batting average (27.48) in the first and second innings.
Late redemption for batters: The track tends to ease out, boasting the best collective batting average (33.65) in the third and fourth innings across major English Test grounds.
Six-Test streak: Teams bowling first have emerged victorious in each of the last six Tests at Headingley.
Chasing made easy: The last four matches at this venue have seen successful fourth-innings chases of 322, 359, 296, and 251—a rare feat in Test cricket, and a testament to the pitch flattening out.
But there's a catch—The Leeds weather
Dry Spell Disruption? In the lead-up to the Test, Leeds has experienced unusually warm and dry conditions, raising the possibility that the pitch might break up more than usual.
What is India highest score at Headingley, Leeds in Test cricket? India's highest team total in Leeds in 628-8 dec. India piled up over 600 runs in the first innings on August 22, 2002 and emerged victorious. What is England highest score at Headingley, Leeds in Test cricket? England's score of 570-7 dec is their highest team total in Leeds. England achieved their highest score in Leeds on May 25, 2007.
Top 20 highest totals in Tests at England's Headingley Stadium in Leeds
Team Score Overs RR Inns Opposition Ground Result Match Date
Australia 653/4d 193 3.38 1 v England Leeds won 22 Jul 1993
India 628/8d 180.1 3.48 1 v England Leeds won 22 Aug 2002
Australia 601/7d 178.3 3.36 1 v England Leeds won 8 Jun 1989
Australia 584 183.5 3.17 2 v England Leeds draw 20 Jul 1934
England 570/7d 122.3 4.65 1 v West Indies Leeds won 25 May 2007
Australia 566 168 3.36 1 v England Leeds draw 11 Jul 1930
England 550/4d 183 3 1 v India Leeds won 8 Jun 1967
England 546/4d 151 3.61 1 v New Zealand Leeds won 8 Jul 1965
Pakistan 538 141.4 3.79 2 v England Leeds lost 4 Aug 2006
South Africa 538 235.3 2.28 1 v England Leeds draw 26 Jul 1951
England 533 125 4.26 2 v Australia Leeds won 13 Jun 1985
England 526 133.1 3.94 2 v New Zealand Leeds won 3 Jun 2004
South Africa 522 176.2 2.96 2 v England Leeds won 18 Jul 2008
England 515 123 4.18 1 v Pakistan Leeds won 4 Aug 2006
India 510 209.2 2.43 3 v England Leeds lost 8 Jun 1967
England 505 224.5 2.24 2 v South Africa Leeds draw 26 Jul 1951
Australia 501/9d 123 4.07 2 v England Leeds won 24 Jul 1997
England 501 156.5 3.19 2 v Pakistan Leeds draw 8 Aug 1996
West Indies 500/9d 164 3.04 1 v England Leeds won 4 Aug 1966
South Africa 500 208.5 2.39 3 v England Leeds won 21 Jul 1955
What is India's lowest score at Headingley Leeds in Test cricket history?
Lowest totals in Tests at England's Headingley Stadium in Leeds
Team Score Overs RR Inns Opposition Ground Result Match Date
West Indies 61 26.2 2.31 3 v England Leeds lost 17 Aug 2000
New Zealand 67 59.1 1.13 1 v England Leeds lost 3 Jul 1958
England 67 27.5 2.4 2 v Australia Leeds won 22 Aug 2019
South Africa 75 44.4 1.67 4 v England Leeds lost 29 Jul 1907
England 76 36.3 2.08 1 v South Africa Leeds won 29 Jul 1907
India 78 40.4 1.91 1 v England Leeds lost 25 Aug 2021
England 87 37.5 2.29 4 v Australia Leeds lost 1 Jul 1909
Australia 88 33.1 2.65 1 v Pakistan Leeds lost 21 Jul 2010
Sri Lanka 91 36.4 2.48 2 v England Leeds lost 19 May 2016
England 102 45.1 2.25 2 v India Leeds lost 19 Jun 1986
England 102 33.5 3.01 1 v Australia Leeds lost 7 Aug 2009
Australia 103 31.3 3.26 2 v England Leeds lost 11 Aug 1977
South Africa 110 31.5 3.45 2 v England Leeds lost 29 Jul 1907
Australia 111 36.1 3.06 4 v England Leeds lost 16 Jul 1981
Sri Lanka 119 35.3 3.35 3 v England Leeds lost 19 May 2016
Australia 120 52.5 2.27 3 v England Leeds lost 6 Jul 1961
England 123 50.5 2.41 3 v Australia Leeds lost 22 Jul 1938
England 128 63.3 2.01 4 v India Leeds lost 19 Jun 1986
New Zealand 129 101.2 1.27 3 v England Leeds lost 3 Jul 1958
Pakistan 131 65.1 2.01 2 v England Leeds lost 5 Jul 1962
Key stats to know during India vs England 1st Test in Leeds
The last time India played at Headingley, they were skittled out for just 78 in their first innings—marking their third-lowest total in England. Interestingly, this ground also witnessed their second-highest Test total in the country: a commanding 628.
Jasprit Bumrah is just five wickets away from becoming the first Indian to claim 150 Test wickets in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia) countries. Among Asian bowlers, only Wasim Akram, with 146, has more.
Joe Root, meanwhile, has scored 2,846 runs at an average of 58.08 with 10 centuries against India—more than any other batter in Test history. Yet, Bumrah has proved to be his frequent nemesis, dismissing him nine times in the format.
The record books don't paint a pretty picture. In nine decades, only three Indian teams—those led by Ajit Wadekar (1971), Kapil Dev (1986), and Rahul Dravid (2007)—have returned from England with a Test series win. And now, Gill's India must chase history without Kohli, the side's red-ball torchbearer, who has stepped into Test cricket's sunset.

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